If you've ever looked up an exchange rate on Google before sending money abroad, you've probably felt that familiar sting of confusion: Why is my bank offering me a rate that's significantly worse? You're not imagining it. The difference is real, it's intentional, and it can cost you hundreds—even thousands—of dollars on larger transfers. The rate you see on Google isn't the rate you'll ever actually get from your bank, and understanding why reveals how international money transfers really work.

Three months had passed since my consultation with the officer at the Konosu Driver’s License Center in Saitama. At the end of that appointment, he handed me a packet of documents with a slip of paper containing a QR code and one very clear instruction: do not take the packet apart .

I have hated cats my entire life. And one of the things that used to annoy me was the idea that people loved an animal that was apathetic to their existence. They are selfish and they embody the exact opposite of what it means to be a human with purpose. It pisses me off just thinking about it.

Transferring money from my U.S. bank account to my new Japan Post Bank account was one of the most frustrating things I have ever done—and it only worked because my Japanese manager at the time stood beside me and walked me through the process. It was one of my earliest encounters with Japanese bureaucracy and, in hindsight, a foreshadowing of the administrative friction I would repeatedly run into later.

My wife and I walked into our local grocery store after its two-day New Year’s break and immediately noticed something that made us both say 「早い」 (hayai / “so fast”) in unison. Setsubun decorations were already going up. It felt similar to how Christmas decorations appear right after Halloween. That kind of seasonal whiplash is almost a preview of the chaos that comes with the holiday cycle.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You're on the train platform. You check the sign where the orange line meets the blue one. Your maps app says the orange line turns into the blue line—but across the platform, another train arrives that looks eerily similar to the one you're on. The people around you don't react. Some calmly cross to the other train. Others stay put. No announcements. No panic. Am I on the right one?

How are your feet feeling after yesterday’s part 1 in East Kyoto? I wasn’t joking when I said Kyoto is a 20,000-step city. Day 2 is no different, but the main change is the atmosphere: today you’ll soak in more of Kyoto’s natural side. From a sunrise walk through Arashiyama bamboo forest to the quiet of Ryōan-ji’s rock garden, this itinerary gives your feet a break and your morning a breath of fresh air. Even if you didn’t follow Day 1 , this guide stands perfectly on its own. Today’s route covers some of Western Kyoto’s most famous landmarks and offers a completely different pace from the busy streets of Higashiyama. So set your alarm for 4 a.m.—because we’re starting early again, and the reward is worth it.